Wilkes-Barre Area School Board

The reorganization meeting of the Wilkes-Barre Area School Board was anything but organized according to the story by Peter Cameron in the Citizens Voice  with 2 breaks for executive sessions and Christine Katsock calling the meeting illegal.

Former Coughlin HS teacher and sports coach John Quinn was elected President and Barbara Youngblood Louis Elmy as VP. The Secret Service was interested in Quinn's son a few months ago according to the TL.

You have to wonder who would even want the job of school director in Wilkes-Barre. It doesn't pay anything and you get a lot of grief in the local papers after you hire a relative for a position. Or maybe that's it.

This is a body that has seen 3 members convicted of corruption. Jim Height, Brian Dunn and Frank Pizzella. After Pizzella was indicted he was elected as board President with the support of former reformer Christine Katsock .    If there is any government body in Luzerne County that needs to change it's public persona it's this one but that doesn't seem to faze this bunch much. They made a hash of hiring a new superintendent and the new hiring policy is a joke.

Four seats are up in the upcoming election in May. The incumbents are Christine Katsock, Lynn Evans, Phil Latinski and Bob Corcoran. I haven't heard if any of them will seek reelection.

Katsock ran for many offices as a Republican reformer before she finally a spot on the school board.  She came within 800 votes of defeating Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton in 2003 and gave State Rep Eddie Day Pashinski a run for his money in 2006. She switched to the Democrats  when she ran for the board and had no comment when asked to explain her vote for Pizzella but it's not hard to figure out if you look at her Campaign Finance Report. Frank Pizzella was her top cash contributor pitching in $3000. She also got $1800 as a in-kind contribution from the Friends of Frank Pizzella.

Evans voted against Pizella and the new super and revealed the pick system of filling jobs.

Latinski goes along. 

Bob Corcoran has other troubles. Update: Corcoran barred from home, contact with son

Pure Bunkum has a couple of insightful posts about this subject.

I think we should get rid of school boards and KeystonePolitics proposes putting the Intermediate Units in charge

Wilkes-Barre Area School District

The last election has seen some turnover in the board. The winners in the recent election were Maryanne W. Toole, Dino L. Galella, John Quinn, James F. Susek and Louis Elmy.

I bullet voted voted for Kathy Grinaway and Sam Troy.

Toole was only incumbent on the ballot and she has been going against the grain teaming with Lynn Evans. I met Galella on election day but wasn't impressed. I remember Mr. Quinn from high school when he was a bit excitable in the classroom and on the basketball court and baseball field. My commenter's tell me that Elmy has thousand of relatives working at Vo Tech which remindes us of Barbara Youngblood.

Two years ago the district decided to put a hiring policy in place and appointed a sub commitee to draft it. Christine Katsock was put in charge of the effort but it has fizzled.

We get a big tax bill from the W-B Area School District every year that I am willing to pay because there is nothing more important than teaching our young people. Taxes are the price we pay for civilisation.

The latest dustup is Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton's son getting a job as a full time teacher .
Bad timing. I like Mayor Tom because he has done a darn good job bringing back Wilkes-Barre from financial chaos and reviving the downtown. Some people don't think that is good enough.

Tom Leighton wins in Wilkes-Barre

Tom Leighton (DEM) . . . . . . . 3,852 55.20 %

Lisa Cope (REP) . . . . . . . . 2,365 33.89 %

Betsy Summers (LIB) . . . . . . . 737 10.56 %

Them Dem's made a clean sweep wining all the council seats and the Controller's office.

Wilkes-Barrre Mayor and City Council

What about the School Board?

Most of the attention in the city of my birth this election has been focused on the Mayor's race pitting incumbent Democrat Tom Leighton against Republican Lisa Cope and Libertarian Betsy Summers. Most incumbents like it when there are more than 2 names on the ballot in the General Election in a local election. The TL political reporter quotes 2 Captains Obvious confirming that

Political science professors see two challengers dividing city’s opposition vote

Tom Baldino of Wilkes University and David Sosar of King’s College say Leighton already has several advantages in the race, but with two candidates vying for the votes of discontented residents, the two-term Democrat becomes an even safer bet.

The Citizens Voice ran profiles of the candidates for the 5 Wilkes-Barre city council seats. W-B will see at least 3 new council members next year.

Incumbent councilmen targeted in Wilkes-Barre


Nov. 8 election to change face of Wilkes-Barre council

Election polls

Very few scientific polls are conducted in local elections for the simple reason that they are expensive and very few campaigns have the money to conduct one. Even if they did the chances are that they don't have people with the expertise who know how to use the results to shape an election strategy.

I know the Wilkes-Barre Mayor's race has been polled (guess what camp did that) and Pittston Politics reports that Jackie Mo had a survey that showed her up big before Salaventis went on the air. In the last Congressional races the local papers paid for polls but they are not about to waste money on a municipal election. Besides, it looks like the Times-Leader can't afford it anyway.

Polling the Judicial races is pointless and trying to survey the races for seats on the new Luzerne County Council is impossible with so many candidates and without a model to build on.

Local bloggers decide to take up the slack .

The LuLac Political Letter

Here are the poll results we took for the General Election in 2011. As we indicated yesterday, the poll was among LuLac readers, it had 178 respondents, to our knowledge they only voted once and is presented as an unscientific sampling of the pulse of LuLac readers who follow politics as well as this blog site.

It's a tradition on Gort42 to put up some polls on the sidebar the week before the election. I'm not going to list multiple candidate races such as County Council and the Judicial contests. Altogether there are 35 candidates.

So we have 2 questions.

Who will win the races for Luzerne County DA and Mayor of Wilkes-Barre?

Vote on the side bar.

Looking to 2012 I have heard reports that the NRCC has polled the 11th CD recently finding that former 10th CD Congressman Chris Carney would top Congressman Lou Barletta by 5 points. I'm trying to get more info on that.

Speaking of local bloggers

Blog of the week
Harold Jenkins from NEPA Blogs talks to us today about "Gort42", the ultimate guide to local politics and local political blogs.

NEPA Blogs Flapdoodle

Wilkes-Barre Mayor forum tonight

The forum will be held Wednesday, Oct. 26th at 7 p.m. at Wilkes University, Stark Learning Center, Room 101. Others are calling this a debate but that remains to be seen. Audience members will be able to submit written questions. Former State Representative and W-B City Council member Kevin Blaum will moderate, he now writes a Sunday Column for the Times-Leader. I go back a long way with Kevin, who is pretty savvy guy, and I hope he lets the candidates mix it up.

Only Betsy Summers has a website but you can find all 3 on Facebook.

Re-Elect Mayor Tom Leighton

LISA COPE FOR MAYOR

Betsy Summers

I haven't paid much attention to the politics of my hometown lately but I have to agree with my friend the Blogfather that Leighton has been a big improvement over the last guy. He got the finances in order so the city doesn't need 3 tax anticipation loans and it's bond rating was restored. Boscov's didn't close and the downtown has more businesses than when he took over. There are more police officers on the street and a new fire station was constructed in Hollenback Park.

On the down side a few places have pulled out of the downtown lately and the Heights firehouse had to be closed because it was falling apart.

Trying to blame the mayor for crime in the city is unfair as there will always be drunken idiots with beer muscles and the federal and state drug and gun laws encourage gang warfare Ask the Mafia how prohibition was good for business plus just about every resident of every town in the northeast will complain about potholes and the condition of the roads.

Leighton's challengers are doing their best to make something out of his alleged ethical lapses such as the home security system paid for by the taxpayers, hiring his kids for summer jobs, the LAG towing contract, Old River Road Bakery, security cameras and a few other things.

There is an old rule to politics that says the challenger doesn't win an election but the incumbent loses it. Wilkes-Barre is an overwhelmingly Democratic city and with 2 challengers spitting the anti Leighton vote in the race Mayor Tom should be with us for the next 4 years . The 2 Captain Obvious college professors agree. Tom Baldino of Wilkes University and David Sosar of King’s College say Leighton already has several advantages in the race, but with two candidates vying for the votes of discontented residents, the two-term Democrat becomes an even safer bet.

Wyoming Valley Flood 2011-the levee system held, now the cleanup

The Susquehanna River crested above the 1972 Agnes flood level but Wilkes-Barre and the west side of Wyoming Valley didn't get wiped out because Congressman Paul Kanjorski was able to convince President Clinton and the Army Corps of Engineers that the dikes should be able to withstand another flood of that magnitude. I know that there is lot of talk about how the levees funneled water into other areas that are not protected by the system but there are trade offs in every project as Another Monkey points out:


The Susquehanna nearly overtopped these levees this week. Nearly, but it didn't. As of this writing, Wilkes-Barre and Kingston and Forty Fort have been spared the devastation they experienced in 1972. The levees held, bottling up all that water.

Creating a bottleneck to protect one area causes problems elsewhere. West Pittston, just upriver from Wilkes-Barre, has sustained damage in excess of what it experienced in 1972. Jenkins Township, Shickshinny, and other communities not protected by levees have experienced massive devastation. Even if areas destroyed in 1972 fared better now thanks to levees, the increased destruction elsewhere will again result in a multi-billion dollar repair bill.

Kanjo in the TL is reflects on his legacy:


“We probably dodged a bullet that probably would have cost the Wyoming Valley probably five, six billion dollars,” Kanjorski said. “...If those levees hold, there isn't one person in the Wyoming Valley who shouldn't just shout that the federal government did something good; that they built one hell of a levee system. We've got good, clear evidence that federal government, sometimes, does something right....“It was a very long, drawn-out process that took 10 years,” Kanjorski said. “It wasnt until 1996 that I was able to get President Clinton down here to convince him that we needed it... It took more than 10 years after that to complete it, and every year it took millions of dollars in appropriations. I had to get those funds earmarked every year to get those funds.“To protect some of those homes over in Plymouth Township, and I have sympathy for those people, but it would cost millions of dollars to protect one home in Plymouth, and we just cant afford to do that,” Kanjorski said.
“Its not a perfect system,” he continued, “but it's far more sophisticated today in terms of protection. You have to remember when we got hit with Agnes, there was no Federal Emergency Management Agency. That was something I was very active in creating.”

Others agree:


Mayor, state rep thankful for levees



"I hope that people take a moment tonight and say a prayer and thank the Lord that that dike held," State Rep Eddie Day Pashinski said. "Those of you that experienced 1972 know what kind of devastation we experienced in Wilkes-Barre and throughout the entire valley. Ladies and gentlemen, we dodged a major bullet."
But that never happened, thanks in part to former U.S. Rep. Paul E. Kanjorski's work to raise the levee system in the Wyoming Valley, Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton said.

"Without his hard work in Washington over the years, this valley would have been ruined."


If you want to help out Michelle put up a great post over at NEPA Blogs:


This has so much good information I'm going to repost it. I'm sure she won't mind. To click on the links go over to NEPA Blogs.


Giving Help
Many of us in the area have been fortunate enough to not be affected by the September floods, but others did not fair so well. The whole basis of NEPA Blogs is to talk about blogging and people from the area, but we would not be doing the community a service if we didn't help out in this time of extreme need.

Here are ways that you can help:

Entercom Communications is holding a cleaning supply drive for the victims of the flooding. You can drop off supplies at either the Wilkes-Barre Twp. Wal-Mart or the one in Taylor. Help them fill the trailer. More details here: http://pahomepage.com/fulltext?nxd_id=199416



The American Red Cross's Facebook Page states that "Over 4,000 people spent last night in Red Cross shelters in NY & PA." You can donate to the Red Cross's efforts by texting REDCROSS to 90999. I believe the 10 dollar donation will be tacked on to your monthly cell phone bill.

The Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce has setup a recovery website where you can give help/get help or find information about the recovery efforts. Wilkes-Barre City has a similar website setup here.

The HelpLine of NEPA is always a valuable resource for assistance for crisis situations. They are on Twitter and Facebook and also have a website: http://www.helpline-nepa.info


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From Wyoming Valley Flood 2011 Facebook Page:

The Cross Valley Federal Credit Union, starting on Monday, all of our branch locations will be accepting donations of cleaning supplies for the American Red Cross. We will also have donation canisters out for those wishing to make a monetary donation to Red Cross. Any support is greatly appreciated! We have locations in Wilkes Barre, Dallas, Forty Fort, Mt Top and Hazleton. For a specific listing of all of our locations you can also visit www.crossvalleyfcu.org. It doesn't matter where we donate - as long as we do. :0) This Valley is capable of doing amazing things!!! Our hearts go out to all those affected.

The West Pittston Public Library is in need of volunteers to assist with their clean-up effort. From what I understand, they started working on the efforts again today (9/11) at 10am. You can offer your services via their Facebook Page: West Pittston Library.

The Hunlock Creek Fire Hall is now a drop off site for cleaning supplies for all of those affected by flooding. If you want to donate, please drop off at the hall....(editors note: however, I do not have specific dates or times that they will be open.) They are specifically requesting the following items: disinfectants (clorox, lysol, etc.), mops, brooms, gloves, buckets, etc.

Excelsior Hose Company in Duryea is collecting cleaning supplies, clothing and anything else you can think of donating to the flood victims of lower Duryea. THere are some who have lost everything unexpectedly, since the forecast was not for the Lackawanna River to flood. (Editor's note: I do not have any specific dates or times for these collections)

Duryea Update: Anyone who has spare cleaning supplies, clothing, basically anything that can be of assistance to flood victims who reside in the lower section of Duryea and is willing to donate them, please bring the items to the VFW on Stephenson Street in Duryea. They are also accepting monetary donations. They will be on site at this location until 11pm.

TradeMark Realty Group will be collecting any donations like cleaning products, clothing etc. or just anything you could spare and give it to Red-cross or local churches for distribution.
 Our office will be open everyday 9am -5pm and will be available for chat through our website www.TradeMarkRealtyGroup.com if you have questions.

Servpro of Hanover Township has crews out in full force helping people get their lives, homes and businesses back to normal. If you are in need of water damage cleanup and restoration services, our office available 24/7 at (570)-822-4700. Via Their Facebook Page.

West Side All Starz will be a drop off area for donated clothing, blankets, pillows, non perishable foods, bottles of water and cleaning supplies for those who have lost their homes and belongings in the flood. Items can be dropped off starting today 11am-10pm at 545 Charles Street, Luzerne PA 18709. If you are in need of items please email Tammy at tammytbwss@aol.com.

Cub Scout Pack 100 and Plains Soccer are asking for your donations to help our neighbors who have been affected by the recent flooding. DONATIONS OF non-perishable food, cleaning supplies, bleach, mops, paper products, toiletries, towels, linens and clothing of all sizes. DROP OFF at SCOUT HALL, 13 Stocker St, on Sunday from 5-8 PM, Monday from 6-8PM, and Tues from 6-7PM.

The PA Department of Health will be at the PSTI Headquarters building Sunday at 3pm with their mobile unit giving tetanus shots to emergency responders, who have not a shot in 10 years. Please note: This is ONLY FOR FIRST RESPONDERS.

MedExpress in Edwardsville has Tetanus shots available. Open from 9am to 9pm daily.

West Pittston Fire Department on Spring Street has some supplies available to its residents affected by the flood. They state they have water, gloves, self-heating meals, hand sanitizer & water available.


Attention Wyoming County residents! This information is for you --

Interfaith Friends has a list of available furniture and larger items available for free to those affected by the floods. If you need furniture, baby items, clothes or anything Interfaith Friends has, you may stop by during business hours. ALL items are given at NO CHARGE to anyone affected by the flood. Their contact # 570-836-2428.

The Cub Scout Pack 518 of Tunkhannock are collecting donations to give to flood victims. So far they have clothing, toys, games, paper products, personal care items and backpacks. However, I'm not sure of how to get in touch with them.

P & G has a diaper booth setup in the Tunkhannock Wal-Mart parking lot. They will be there Saturday (9/10) from 6pm to 9pm. They will then be set up Sunday (9/11) through Friday (9/16) from 7am to 7pm.

All information for Wyoming County was found via the American Red Cross of Wyoming County's Facebook page.

Lackawanna County --

Several Red Cross blood drives have been scheduled. There is one today (9/11) at the American Legion Raymond Henry Post 327, 101 Willow Ave, Olyphant from 10am to 3pm. Monday (9/12) at CMC, Mulberry Street, Scranton from 12pm to 4pm. More blood drive information including additional dates and locations can be obtained by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS

Columbia County --

(All information obtained via the Y 106.5 Facebook page)

Free Childcare for residents who were affected by the recent floods in our area and to those who are helping with the clean up efforts. Childcare service provided by Chrissy Van Hoover and Jennifer Devine Arbogast and other childcare providers and volunteers at Wesley United Methodist Church in Selinsgrove from 11:30-5pm Sunday Sept 11th.

Y 106.5 FM is taking American Red Cross Donations now and throughout the weekend at their Sunbury Motors Studios in the Susquehanna Valley Mall. Donate now for your friends, neighbors and community. Their webpage is http://www.y106.fm

Century 21 Mertz and Assoc; 299 Mill Street Danville (next to BJ Ribs) is organizing a collection of items for disbursement to local shelters, the Red Cross and Salvation Army. They are specifically looking for donations of cleaning supplies, canned food, adult & children's clothing as well as monetary donations.

Bloomsburg Fair Association is requesting volunteers. They are in need of volunteers to help with the clean up efforts at the fairgrounds. Flood waters hit the fairgrounds at an all time high. With the fair starting at the end of the month, they don't have much time to recover. The fair is scheduled to being on September 24, 2011. Currently they have no phone service, so please no phone calls. Basically, if you can help, just show up. The fairgrounds are located at 620 West Third Street; Bloomsburg, PA 17815.



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Towing Services: Also, LAG will conduct free tows for any vehicles trapped in flooded water or need to be taken to higher ground from the flood areas in coordination with the city. Contact 570-208-4152 to request service. Source, WBRE.

Photography Services: Top of the Mountain Photography by Bridget Banik is offering to take flood damage pictures free of charge to anyone who may have lost their camera/electronics in the flood. You can contact her via her Facebook page or call 570-417-6330. Also, according to the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce's twitter account, Patrick Gensel, freelance photographer and NEPA Blogger is willing to help as well, please contact him through his website at http://patrickgensel.com.

Pet/Animal Information: Please contact the SPCA of Luzerne County if your has been lost. In Luzerne County, stray animals are taken to the facility when they are found within county boundaries. Contact them at 570-825-4111 and they will take a "lost" report and cross match it with any reports they get of found animals or with animals that have been brought in as strays. More information can be found on their website: http://www.spcaluzernecounty.org

Update ~ There is now a Facebook page for the lost and found pets of the Sept 2011 flood. Click here to view it.

Road Closure Information: Available via 511PA which is updated via PENNDOT.

Health Care Facilities:

Click here to read an updated statement on Wyoming Valley Health Care System facility openings/closures.
Click here to read and updated statement on Geisinger Wyoming Valley's openings/closures.

This is just the beginning of the list, I've read about several dozen smaller communities, churches and businesses taking up collections for the victims. If you know of any, please feel free to post in the comments, or hit us up on Facebook to let us know. I would like to get as much information in this post as possible for the victims and will continue to update as more information becomes available.




Oh and by the way, Harold & I were made administrators of the Wyoming Valley Flood 2011 Facebook page which has grown to 6,547 likes as of this post. It has served as a information portal for questions about evacuations, road closures, and donation collection points, etc., etc., etc. Please feel free to follow it if you are in need of any of that information. We would like to thank Karla Porter for her efforts in creating this page. It has helped several people get the information that they needed in this crisis.

Edited to say: If you are questioning any of the information you are hearing online or otherwise, it is recommended to contact the Luzerne County Rumor control hotline at 800-821-3716.

Wyoming Valley Flood 2011-update

I haven't gone wandering around today to see the devastation heeding the advice of those in charge. If you're curious there are plenty of pics online. Earlier today Gov. Tom Corbett chastised the media for encouraging people to send in their flood pictures because they are still people in the evacuation areas. Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton had a press conference this afternoon and announced that 4 jerks/scumbags/criminals had been arrested for looting. He also announced that anybody in the evacuation zone after the 9PM curfew will be arrested.

So far the levee's are holding with some seepage in Forty Fort and the gates in Wilkes-Barre but the Susquehanna River is still so high you can't be too careful. There is a lot of force behind all that water. There are worries that various bridges may get wiped out with a particular concern about the Pierce Street bridge that was destroyed in 1972.

On the home front we just pumped out my mother's basement because the water took out her water heater and was threatening the furnace. That didn't stop her from turning it on this morning, oy vey.

Patrick Murphy for Attorney General

Former Congressman Patrick Murphy is running for Pennsylvania Attorney General. I'm a bit disappointed that he is not trying to regain the PA 8th District seat that he exchanged with Mike Fitzpatrick but I think he would be a good AG.


He went to King's College here in Wilkes-Barre and if I remember right he was the President of his class who had the honor of introducing President Bill Clinton in the gym after the Prez inspected the latest flood damage. Kanjo got Clinton to visit the area and I still remember seeing Air Force One on the tarmac at Avoca.




Murphy was a Captain in the 82nd Airborne and a JAG in Iraq. After he was elected to Congress he led the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the discriminatory policy that prevented gay men and women from serving openly in the military. I was in the military in the 1970's and we knew who was gay but didn't give a shit. All that mattered was if you could do your job.

He will be a tough but fair prosecutor unlike the last guy who had the job who only prosecuted Democrats for campaign violations but not Republicans for doing the same thing. .

Murphy has a lot of local support

Patrick Murphy has picked up the support of some big names in Luzerne County Democratic politics.

At a fundraiser tonight in Wilkes-Barre, Murphy will be joined by Congressman Paul Kanjorski, Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton, and State Representatives Michael Carroll, Phyllis Mundy and Eddie Day Pashinski.


His Website is

Patrick Murphy Attorney General

My fence needs to be painted

Maybe I should hire this guy who is down on his luck


WILKES-BARRE – Former Luzerne County judge Mark Ciavarella is painting for a living these days. On Thursday, Ciavarella was painting a porch at 313 McLean St. owned by Bob Kadluboski, owner of City Wide Towing.

Cupcake, as Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton affectionately calls him, has been in the news lately for engaging in his favorite pastime of disrupting city council meetings complaining about his competitor LAG Towing suggesting some sort of corrupt bargain. Kadluboski is a civic minded person who has taken time out of his busy crime fighting schedule to be a such thorn in the side of W-B city council that they are considering changing the rules about public comments at their meetings.

I have to commend Mr. Kadluboski for giving a convicted criminal a way to make a living while he awaits sentencing.

For some reason this reminds me of a book I recently read


"I Heard You Paint Houses"

Tom Leighton wins in Wilkes-Barre

Tom Leighton . . . . . . . . . 2,603 55.67 %
Charlotte B. Raup. . . . . . . . 1,810 38.71 %
Nick Punko . . . . . . . . . . 242 5.18 %
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 21 .45 %


WITH 20 OF 20 PRECINCTS COUNTED

His opponent will be Lisa Cope


Lisa Cope . . . . . . . . . . 357 34.59 % 357 Frank R. Sorick . . . . . . . . 283 27.42 % 283 Karen Ceppa. . . . . . . . . . 260 25.19 % 260

Almost 6000 votes for the Democrats and less than 1000 for the Republicans

Yuddy wins big

With about 70% of the vote in John Yudichak is blowing Tom Leighton out of the water.


John T. Yudichak . . . . . . . . 11,796 71.59 %

Tom Leighton . . . . . . . . . 4,628 28.09 %

Vote in the PA 14th Senator poll

The candidates are Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton and 119th District State Represenative John Yudichak.


Vote in the poll on the left side bar and tell us in the comments why you think your guy will win.

Senate 14 update

A press release from Ed Mitchell


COURT DOCUMENTS SHOW YUDICHAK LINKS TO BONUSGATE ACTIVITIES

WILKES-BARRE — Official court documents filed by state attorney general Tom Corbett at the courthouse in Dauphin County show state Rep. John Yudichak, D- Nanticoke to be an active player in the ‘Bonusgate’ scandal of the Pennsylvania Legislature (see attachment).

E-mails to Yudichak link him directly to an indicted former legislator who is charged in the ‘Bonusgate’ trials.

Court papers filed in the indictment of former state Rep. Steve Stetler, who was head of the House campaign committee, show Yudichak participated in the use of state employee personnel and services for political purposes.

E-mails sent to Yudichak’s official taxpayer-funded legislature account show communication to him on behalf of former state Rep. Tom Tigue’s, D- Pittston, campaign for reelection that links Yudichak to the use of state employees on taxpayer time doing political work in the campaign.

The e-mails further question Yudichak on his political activity on behalf of Tigue.

“John Yudichak is part of the Bonusgate corruption scandal in Harrisburg. He has a number of questions that should be answered, “ Tom Leighton said. He asked Yudichak:

“What was your relationship with indicted Rep. Steve Stetler in regard to political activities on the state dime for Tom Tigue? How did you benefit?

“What services did PAC 102 provide to the tune of $8,000 for your current campaign? Did Marty O’Rourke or his company provide any services to your campaign? O’Rourke worked for Tigue and is the spokesman for indicted former Speaker of the House, John Perzel.

“Who runs PAC 102? Who are the officers? Detail your current and past relationship with them.

“Was any state legislature’ political activity using taxpayers’ funds used in behalf of your current or previous campaigns?

“What was Steve Stetler talking to you about in his email to your taxpayer-funded email account? Were you doing political activity using taxpayer-funded services?

“When you did work for Tigue’s campaign, were government staff on taxpayer time used?

“What were you trying to find out about then-Monroe County Commissioner, Donna Asure, Tigue’s election opponent, from the opposition research, performed at taxpayer expense that you are linked to in the Tigue campaign and the Stetler email?

“Did you arrange for housing for the staffer mentioned in the Stetler/Tigue email, as you were asked to do by Stetler?

“Did you know, as the e-mail suggests that this research was being done using government employees, and facilities?” Leighton asked.

“These documents show that John Yudichak is tied to the culture of corruption known as Bonusgate, in Harrisburg.

“He campaigns as a reformer while he avails himself of per diems to pay his personal mortgage and of all the other perks and political benefits of the broken system. These services were generally provided using taxpayer funded staff and services. That’s illegal and it’s also hypocritical,” Leighton said.


From SPPE



Yudichak response


The careening Leighton campaign has officially gone off the rails with today's despicable, scurrilously false insinuations. Tom Leighton's utter lack of ethical integrity and willingness to engage in the worst sort of dirty, gutter politics clearly indicates that his campaign has imploded beyond recognition.

Tom Leighton for months has deliberately and willfully mislead the voters about his role in writing a get out of jail free letter for a convicted felon caught up in the worst corruption scandal in Luzerne County history. The record is clear on how each candidate responded to the culture of corruption in northeastern Pennsylvania. I stood with the people and voted to strip public pensions from corrupt politicians. Tom Leighton wrote a letter to get a convicted felon a lighter sentence.

Tom Leighton has already demonstrated that he will evade the truth to serve his political ambitions. Now, he wants to abandon the truth all together and make wild allegations that have no merit or basis in reality. At no point in time have I ever had contact with the Attorney General's Office in conjunction with the Bonusgate investigation. I have consistently and openly challenged the leaders involved in the Bonusgate scandal. The same cannot be said of some of Tom Leighton's biggest political friends and contributors.

It's also reprehensible of Leighton to impugn the integrity of former State Representative Tom Tigue, a decorated Vietnam war hero, an honorable man, and an effective legislator. For 12 years as State Representative, I have adhered to the highest ethical standards.

I have been lauded by good government watchdog groups for voting in the best interests of the people I represent and conducting myself in an open, honest and transparent manner. I was one of a very few elected officials who voted 'No' and refused to accept the legislative pay raise and pension hike. Yet, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, the desperate Leighton campaign has once again resorted to more of the same filthy political tricks that voters have rejected.

Today's maliciously false insinuations are the handiwork of Ed Mitchell who is running Tom Leighton by remote control and whose last notable accomplishment was helping to elect three corrupt judges in Luzerne County. It's time to put an end to this reign of corruption in northeastern PA and the win-at-any-cost mentality. It's time for Tom Leighton to do the right thing and salvage what tiny shred of integrity he may have left because he cannot salvage his campaign.

Senate 14 race in the homestreach

Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton and State Representative John Yudichak have moved on from telling the voters about the good things they have done in their careers to bashing each others brains out. This has become normal in a close political campaign. Yuddy has done his best to tie Leighton to the ongoing corruption probe although nobody in Wilkes-Barre city government has been indicted or is even under investigation as far as I know. Mayor Tom did write a letter to the Judge who is going to sentence Bill Brace and danced around admitting it until the WVIA debate. I would say that was poor judgement but not indicative that he is also corrupt. Leighton has been pounding Yuddy over taking per diem's and owning a house in Harrisburg like many other legislators do. It's not against the rules but just about everyone agrees that the rules have to change.

Leighton, Yudichak neck and bloody neck


Civil final round between Leighton, Yudichak

Today Norton reported that Leighton got a last minute $20,000 from Citizens for Action, a Political Action Committee affiliated with Congressman Paul Kanjorski (D-11th) .
It's no secret that Yuddy and Kanjo stopped exchanging Christmas cards years ago.



Exeter Mayor Casandra Coleman hosted a meet and greet last night with Congressman Kanjorski and Tom Leighton as the headliners.








The local papers picked up on the story a few hours later and has some choice quotes from Yudichak.


“This won’t come as a surprise to anyone that has observed this campaign so far,” Yudichak said. “This midnight campaign contribution certainly speaks to why I’m for campaign finance reform in the state House.”

Yudichak said he thinks Kanjorski is supporting Leighton so strongly because Yudichak’s father, Joseph Yudichak Sr., spoke out against Kanjorski during the 2008 election. Yudichak said his father was interviewed on national television about Kanjorski and the failed $12 million Cornerstone Technologies venture.

“I’m proud that my father stood up and said politicians aren’t above the law,” Yudichak said. “I think voters will recognize that this late donation to my opponent’s campaign was not done in the light of day. If he wanted to endorse the mayor he could have done it at any time during the campaign.”

Yudichak called the situation an example of “the politics of the past.”



Yuddy has a new positive ad up but it it not posted to YouTube and Mayor Tom has a "contrast" spot on the air .

Yudichak and Leighton square off

More to come on WVIA-TV


Leighton promises surprise at tonight's debate


Leighton, Yudichak clash during forum

Senate 14 this week

Mrs G asked me tonight who I would be voting for in the PA 14th Senate race. I honestly don't know because I like both of these gentlemen.


Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton went up on the air today with an ad that says "Tom Leighton gets things done." He promises more property tax cuts using the casino revenue.




State Rep John Yudichak keeps racking up the labor endorsements

Yudichak Receives Unanimous Endorsement of AFSCME

On the way to Mark's yesterday we passed by the PAV where Yuddy had an event that was well attended.

The Yonk says he has another spot

State Senate candidate John Yudichak will preview a new ad Sunday night on “60 Minutes” Yudichak has been campaigning like a virtual whirlwind invading Plains Township yesterday for a polka party with John Stanky and the Coalminers.

Senate 14 tidbits

I wandered into downtown Wilkes-Barre yesterday to do some Boscoving and check out the Green Party gathering on Public Square. Pictures here. I always park in the Boscovs parkade for the free parking and this time it only cost me 42 bucks.

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I ran into Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton who is running for the PA State Senate seat being vacated by Ray Musto who is now caught up in the corruption investigations that have snared 28 people in Luzerne County so far.

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We were both pressed for time and I didn't expect to see him so the tough questions will have to wait to another day. For all the attention that has been put on attracting new businesses to downtown W-B I think one of Leighton's biggest successes is keeping the anchor store open. If Boscovs closes it's doors it would be the death knell for the square.

In an interview with the CV he defended the tough decisions he has had to make as Mayor such as raising taxes and closing Firehouses.

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His opponent for the Democratic nomination State Rep John Yudichak gave his pitch to the CV
for "modernized government in Harrisburg."

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Yuddy keeps racking up the labor endorsements.

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The Pennsylvania Professional Firefighters Association (PPFA).

The Pennsylvania AFL-CIO

Sparks fly in PA Senate 14th race

As I have said before I'm neutral in this race because it promises to be the most entertaining of the primary season and I like both of these gentleman.

Up until now it was pretty bland affair with both candidates touting their bonefides but that changed on Wednesday when all hell broke loose.



Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton put out a press release attacking his rival for the Democratic Senate nomination 119th State Represantive John Yudichak because Yuddy voted for the bill that would allow tolling of I-80.

WILKES-BARRE — Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton, candidate for state senate in the"It looks like an implosion of Mayor Leighton's campaign," 14th District Democratic primary, today applauded a decision by federal highway officials to ban the tolling of traffic on the I-80 interstate in Pennsylvania.

He further called on his opponent, state Rep. John Yudichak, to reverse his previous position supporting tolls and not try to overturn the decision.

“There may be attempts to appeal this federal decision or pass additional legislation to allow tolling. There have been some suggestions of that publicly. I hope Yudichak will see the wisdom of reversing his previous position and follow the wishes of many hard-working people and college students in Northeastern Pennsylvania who use I-80 everyday as part of their daily commerce.


On July 17, 2007, Yudichak voted for Act 44, which converted interstate
80 into a toll road. The bill passed, 124-79 and was signed by the Governor. [HB 1590, Concurrence w/ Senate, 124-79, 7/17/07].


The response was fast and furious


"This is obviously a diversionary tactic so they do not have to discuss the serious issue that was raised today," Yudichak said. "That's obviously the big news today in federal court, and he has to address those issues."

He was referring to the revelation that Bill Brace admitted to taking money from yet another unnamed contractor in exchange for help getting business in the city of Wilkes-Barre.

Yuddy told SPPE
"Brace admitted to accepting kickbacks for his efforts to secure Wilkes-Barre City contracts for an unnamed company," Yudichak continued. "The pay-to-play politics scheme occurred under Leighton's watch as Mayor of Wilkes-Barre. Mayor Leighton needs to open the books on city contracts and address the issue of pay to play politics in the City. Mayor Leighton's desperate press release attack today smells like a classic diversionary tactic."


Leighton called Yudichak a liar


"John Yudichak is a career Harrisburg insider who wants to continue his career as an insider politician in Harrisburg," Leighton said. "He'll stoop to any low level to do so. Even lie." ..."

Then Yuddy took a shot at Ed Mitchell

"The mayor has to stand on his own two feet," Yudichak said. "Don't stand behind political consultants, don't hide behind political cronies and hacks. Stand before the people of Northeastern Pennsylvania."

Yuddy wants a debate with Leighton but not just one of those bland candidates forums without a back and forth between candidates. I game for that.

Yudichak will officially open his new Wilkes-Barre Township campaign office, located at the corner of Route 309 and Coal Street, this Saturday, April 10th. The grand opening will begin at 11:00 am, followed by a festive reception for his many supporters and volunteers to follow. The event is open to the public.

I'm told that you will not have to pay a toll at the door.

Yuddy get's a big labor endorsement

119th State Rep John Yudichak picked up a plum endorsement from the Northeast PA Building and Construction Trades Council.



The Pennsylvania State Building & Construction Trades Council is made up of 16 Regional Council and more than 115 local unions from 15 International Building Trades Unions.

The local unions come from the following Internationals:

•International Association of Bridge, Structural and Ornamental Iron Workers
•International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Asbestos Workers
•International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers
•International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
•International Brotherhood of Teamsters
•International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers
•International Union of Elevator Constructors
•International Union of Operating Engineers
•International Union of Painters and Allied Trades
•Laborers International Union of North America
•Operative Plasterers and Cement Mason's International Union
•Sheet Metal Workers International Association
•United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada
•United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
•United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers


This is a big deal in a Democratic primary. Many endorsements, especially from sitting or past office holders, are good for a press release then forgotten the next day but the ones that count come from unions or organizations that can bundle money. On the Republican side the Club for Growth can steer some money to a candidate if they are pure enough and sign on to their agenda. In a Democratic primary union endorsements are coveted because they can provide boots on the ground and spend independent money communicating with their members.


Yudichak Receives Unanimous Endorsement of NEPA Building and Construction Trades Council


John Yudichak, Democratic State Senate candidate in the 14th Senatorial District, received the unanimous endorsement of the Northeast PA Building and Construction Trades Council. The announcement was made April 1st by Mike Rozitski, Business Manager for the Trades Council.
“John Yudichak has an outstanding voting record on labor issues,” said Rozitski. “He has always been very union-oriented and a true friend of labor. Our endorsement of John was unanimous and extremely enthusiastic.”

The Northeast PA Building and Construction Trades Council represents 15 different construction industry unions and approximately 15,000 union members. This coveted endorsement for Yudichak follows last week’s unanimous endorsement by the Fraternal Order of Police, Wyoming Valley Lodge No. 36. More major endorsements of Yudichak will be announced in the coming days.

“I am honored to have received the unanimous endorsement of the Building and Construction Trades Council,” said Yudichak. “My father was a union miner and my mother was a lifelong AFSCME member. At an early age, they instilled in me an appreciation for the American labor movement and the principles of fair wages and working standards that unions hold dear. I have always stood with the labor movement and I always will.”

During his past 12 years as State Representative, Yudichak was instrumental in creating many good paying jobs for Building Trades members in northeastern PA, including the currently-under-construction Culinary Institute at Luzerne County Community College in Nanticoke, which is being built with a 90% union workforce.

Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton will probably not get the nod from the firefighters union.